Suction cleaner



Dec- 12, 1939. w. N. PATTERSON 2,183,150

sUCTIoNcLE'ANER Filed Nov. 26, 1937 f ATTORNEY Patented Dec. l2, 1939' UNITED STATES APriluim'r ori-lcs 4 claims.

This invention relates to vacuum cleaners and more particularly to portable suction cleaning apparatus of the type employing a jet pump. The invention is especially suited for the removal of dirt and other foreign substances from the upholstery of automobiles and railroad cars but is susceptible of other applications.

Among the objects of the invention are to increase the cleaning eiciency and reduce the-air E@ consumption of a vacuum cleaner operated by compressed air.4

In accordance with a feature oi this invention, the .casing or body of the cleaner is connected to a vibrator varranged to cause the suction nozzle l i@ to agitato the surface over which it is held and thereby produce a more effective cleaning action .than would be accomplished by the use oi suetion alone. Preferably the vibrator comprises a reciprocating piston operable to interrupt peri- 2@ oclically the supply of compressed air to the jet pump.

Other objects and features or the invention will appear more clearly from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and appended claims.

in the drawing, which illustrates a suction cleaner embodying the invention;

Fig. i is a plan view, a portion oi the suction nozzle being broken away;

3@ Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section as indicated by the arrows '2 in Fig. l, a portion oi the suction nozzle being shown in section, the parts being illustrated in their inoperative positions; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section on an enlarged scale, showing the vibrating or agitating unit, the 'piston being illustrated in a different position from that shown in Fig. 2.

in the illustrative embodiment'of the inven tion, the suction cleaner comprises a body memI do ber or casing 5 preferably, though not necessarily, made of cast aluminum in order to minimize weight. A suction nozzle t of oblong shape, adapted to be moved over the material to be cleaned, is formed on the front end of the casing e. A passageway ll extends from the suction nozzle t to the rear end of the casing and terminates at an exhaust outlet 8, to which a exible tube or hose t may be connected. The casing 5 is provided near its elbow portion l with a ,jet pump il. lThe jet pump comprises a boss l2 on the inside of the casing E, and a drilled port I3 projecting toward the exhaust outlet 9 and providing a jet orice for injecting a stream of live pressure duid into the passageway 1. The passageway tapers from the outlet 8 toward the Jet pump il.

Live air is admitted to the Jet pump lt from a threaded recess M near the rear end of the casing 5 and above the exhaust outlet 8. The air g iiows 'from said recess through a passage i5 to a throttle valve recess lli. A- throttle valve il, .of

l ordinary construction, is adapted to seat against the inner end o f a plug it which ls threadably secured in recess it. A manipulative throttle il@ valve lever' i9, resting against the outerrend of valve il, is adapted to force the valve od its seat in opposition to spring pressure and thereby es tablish communication between inlet passage i5 and a drilled port 2@ extending to the iet oriiice i3.

. rihe vibrator unit, shown best in Fig. 3, come prises a cylinder 22, a front head or iront anvil `-block 23 and a back-head or rear anvil block 2d.

The iront head is screw threaded to both the e@ cylinder 22 and the casing 5 whereby vibrations are transmitted from the vibrator unit to the casing. Ii desired, however, the cylinder, front head and casing may be constructed in one piece. The back-head 2d is screw threaded to the rear' g5 end of the cylinder and is adapted to be connected to a live air hose 25. The bacia-head if@ and front head 23 are bored to permit pressure uid to enter and leave the cylinder respectively under control oi a reciprocating piston it. The piston g@ has a recess 2i opening at its front end. A spring 28, housed in said recess and in a recess in front head 23, tends to hold the piston in engagement with the back-head ifi. The piston 26 has an annular groove 29 in constant com- 3g I niunication with recess 2l by means of radial ports 3d, and has a head 3i lying between the annular groove and the rear end of the piston. An internal annular groove 32 in the cylinderis adapted to provide a pressure iiuid passageway sa@ extending from the rear end of the piston and around the head 3l int'o the groove 2Q, when the piston is moved away from the back-head 2d.

Assuming that the parts are arranged as shown in Fig. 2, with the throttle valve li closed and the inlet hose 25 supplied with live air, the piston B is held against the back-head 2d due to the pressure of spring 2t. The operator holds the casing 5 in his hand, places the suction nozzle y t against the fabric or other material to, be 50 cleaned and depresses the throttle valve lever I9 to the position shown in broken vlines in Fig.v

2. The opening of the throttle valve il exhausts the air in front of the piston 2S and permits the compressed air at the rear end of the piston to 515,

overpower the pressure of spring 28 and move the piston forward to the Fig. 3 position. When the piston head 3I uncovers the portion of the cylinder in back of groove 32 it opens communication between the ends of the cylinder through cylinder groove 32, piston groove 29, radial ports 30 and piston recess 21. Live air thus flows momentarily from the supply hose 25 through cylinder 22, passage I5, throttle valve recess I9, around the head of throttle valve I1 and through ports and I3. The jet of air issuing from port I3 creates a partial vacuum inside the suction nozzle 6 and projects the dust-laden air, received by nozzle 6, through the passageway 1 and flexible tube 9 from whence the air may be discharged to atmosphere or into a suitable ref ceptacle such as a dust bag (not shown).

Movement of the piston 26 to the Fig. 3 position exposes the recess 21 and the front end of the piston to pressure of live motive uid which supplements the force of spring 28 to return the piston to the position illustrated in Fig. 2. As soon as the supply of live air to the recess 21 is out ofi by the piston head 3|, the pressure in recess 21 drops, due to the open throttle valve I1, and thepiston is again moved forward owing 4to i the preponderance of pressure at its rear end.

To discontinue operation of the suction cleaner, the operator merely releases the pressure on throttle valve handle I9 and the parts come to rest in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2,

the piston 26 being held in engagement with the back-head 24 by the combined pressure of spring 28 and the motive fluid trapped in the front end of the cylinder.

The piston 26 has the function of an automatic valve inasmuch as it cuts oif periodically the supply of compressed air to thejet pump II. The valve action results in a rapid succession of jets of air issuing from the jet orifice I3. Due to the inertia of the stream of dust laden air in moving through the passageway 1, the'invention provides a substantially continuous suction without recourse to a continuous consumption of live pressure fluid.

The piston 26 has the additional function of vibrating the casing 5. In its reciprocation, the piston delivers impacts to the front and rear anvil blocks 23 and 24 respectively, thereby vibrating the cylinder 22 and casing 5. The suction nozzle 6, which is rigid with, and preferably integral with, the casing 5, vibrates in unison with the casing and has an agitating or beating effect on the fabric or other material being cleaned, whereby the particles of dust, dirt, sand, or other foreign substances are dislodged from the fabric and released for removal by the partial vacuum in the suction nozzle.

In the illustrative embodiment, the vibrations are delivered along a line disposed at an acute angle relative to the plane of the suction nozzle 6, but this angle may be varied if desired.

What is claimed is:

1. A suction cleaner comprising a casing having a suction nozzle, an exhaust outlet and a passageway connecting the interior of the nozzle with said outlet; means associated with said passagewayfor drawing dust laden air from said nozzle and discharging said air through said passageway and exhaust outlet; and means for agitating the nozzle, said agitating means comprising a cylinder in xed relation to the nozzle, a reciprocating piston therein, means for delivering compressed air to one end of the cylinder and for exhausting the other end, a spring urging the piston toward the inlet end of the cylinder, said spring being adapted to be overpowered by compressed air at the inlet end, said piston and cylinder having cooperating passages establishing communication between the ends of the cylinder only when the piston is away from the inlet end of the cylinder to permit air at the exhaust end to assist the spring in returning the piston.

2. A suction cleaner comprising a casing having a suction nozzle, an exhaust outlet, a passageway connecting the interior of the nozzle with said outlet, a jet pump associated with said passageway for drawing air from the nozzle and discharging said air through the passageway and exhaust outlet, a vibrator carried by said casing, said vibrator comprising a cylinder and a piston reciprocating therein, means for supplying compressed air to said vibrator to operate the latter, and means for exhausting air from said vibrator and delivering the exhaust air to the jet pump for operating said pump.

3. A portable suction cleaner adapted to be held in the hand of the operator, comprising a casing having a suction nozzle, an exhaust outlet, a passageway connecting the interior of the nozzle with said outlet, a jet pump associated with said passageway for drawing air from the nozzle and discharging said air through the passageway and exhaust outlet, said suction cleaner having an inlet opening opening for the admission of compressed motive fluid thereto, connections between said inlet opening and the jet pump, said connections comprising a pneumatic vibrator adapted to agitate the casing andA nozzle.

4. A suction cleaner comprising a casing having a suction nozzle, an exhaust outlet, a passageway connecting the interior of the nozzle with said outlet, a jet pump associated with said passageway for drawing air from the nozzle and discharging said air through the passageway and exhaust outlet, a reciprocating piston arranged to deliver a rapid succession of hammer blows to said casing for agitating said nozzle, a source of compressed air for actuating the piston, a passage leading from said source to said jet pump, said piston being positioned to periodically connect and disconnect said passage with respect to.

said source whereby to cause the air to issue from the jet pump in short sharp blasts.

WILLIAM N. PATTERSON. 

